^_^ Okay! I'm back! I got reviews! YAY! Thanx: Kathryn! Thank you for your encouragement! I posted the last Chapter before I saw your review so I never got to thank you! Okay, well I am obviously doing something-right sooooo I'll keep going! Sarah: Nope! I am the one who is doing things right around here! (Me): Sarah! Arg! *Stuffs her back in story *

And thanx Jes: Thanx 4 the encouragement and I am going to finish this story if it kills Sarah...Sarah: @.@U (bug eyed w/ sweat drop!) me: jus' kidding.

To sqeekers: Thanx! I appreciate it...Thanx 4 the compliment about Sarah.*Is cut off* Sarah: I luv you! Me: Okay...you got a compliment...happy? Sarah: YES! Me: Me too!

(I luv you people!) Well...On with the story!

Disclaimer Sarah: She doesn't own anything but her own Imagination and through it...She owns the world! Bwahahahahahahaha! (Me): ...umm...yeah...right...are you feeling alright...?

(* These being around sentences means that Character is thinking, not talking...like *hi! * and not "hi!")

Chapter 3: so close yet...sooooo far!

Recap: Sarah handed Van over to Hitomi when they were on Escaflowne. Sarah gripped the controls and shoved off, the magnificent wings spread and glimmered white. *Darn that Zaibach! But at least we're free. * Thought Sarah triumphantly. At the same time Hitomi had Van's head cradled in her lap. *I'm back Van...I am finally back. * (One thing I forgot to add) Hitomi was oblivious to the small mark on her back from a needle that she got back at Zaibach, or what it meant. ~@~@~@~@~

Sarah began to get tired and fall asleep, but Escaflowne bucked to wake her up.

"Sarah! What's wrong with you? What are you doing?" Said Hitomi who was recovering from Escaflowne's sudden movement.

"I'm sorry Hitomi...But...I am Exhausted...I don't know how much farther I can go..." Sarah muttered trying desperately to fight off the urge to close her eyes.

"Then we have to set down...How far is Fanelia?" Hitomi questioned, hoping for the answer "not Far." because she was tired too...since she never slept last night, when this whole thing began.

"I am afraid we aren't going to make it...I have one place we can set down..." *I thought something like this might happen so I made arrangements...* Sarah thought to herself.

The dragons shadow fell over a house and Sarah seemed to react. She tried to land Escaflowne gently...But didn't have much luck in steering, and almost lost it all together. "Ouch!" Hitomi yelped from the harsh landing, but more from surprise, than pain.

"Sorry Hitomi, I couldn't help it..." Sarah muttered with a red face from her actions. She led the way towards the cottage with van in her arms as she would hold a baby (no offence towards him, I just mean she carried him that way.) and told Hitomi to walk along behind her.

Hitomi took in the scenery. It was full of mountains and brooks and Trees, More trees than the biggest park in the world! They showed a bright green and were tall and broad, and instantly made you want to sit under them. Hitomi noticed that they were getting close to the house, and saw it was the perfect storybook woodcutter's cottage.

Sarah was ready to collapse, but kept telling herself * Don't do it! You're almost there! * They came to the red wooden door and Sarah knocked a strange tune.

A welcoming voice from inside called out. "Who is there and why should I welcome you?"

Sarah spoke up saying in a strange voice "I am the Great forest and I come with the Mystic moon by my side and Fanelia in my arms!" Sarah smiled.

"Very well, great forest! Come in!" and the voice revealed to be a man about twenty-five years old. He smiled at them with a warm look invited them to come and sit down. "Sarah! Welcome!" Said the man

"Eric! It's nice to see you." Said Sarah with her voice wavering. "What's wrong? You don't sound yourself..." Hitomi spoke up.

"I am alright...just...Eric would you take him for me..." and she handed Eric the unconscious Van, and then promptly collapsed.

~@~@~@~@~

Hitomi woke up in a strange room, on a soft thing, which she discovered was a bed. She began to piece together her thoughts. *I am in the cottage since I passed out after Sarah collapsed...* "Okay then..." Said Hitomi to nobody in particular. "I guess I'll go find Sarah and Van..."

The Hitomi walked to the log door looking around her own room. Her room had a small window with white drapes and a blue rug, Her bed was a simple one that had pink cotton sheets and a small feather pillow that had a silky case.

She walked out of her room into another simple room, but didn't have time to look around this one because in the corner was, Sarah sleeping on the couch. "Sarah!" Hitomi went over to wake her up, but Eric stopped her.

"Hitomi...Don't wake her, She needs her sleep, after the battle and everything else she went through." And he added "I'm surprised you're awake...You went through a lot too." he said looking her with his azure eyes.

"I can't sleep...I keep thinking about..." Her sentence trailed off.

"M' lady...Am I right in thinking you are looking for someone?" Eric smiled.

"What?" Said Hitomi in surprise. Eric motioned for her to follow him and he led her to a dark room and opened the curtains. There, on the bed in the middle of the room, was Van.

"Van!" Said Hitomi; she suddenly felt something pressed into her hands. She turned and Eric was handing her a cloth and a bowl of water.

"He's sleeping...He needs to get cleaned up though...I have to leave for work, but my wife will be here in case you need something." With that Eric turned head and with a whip of his brown hair, was gone.

Hitomi started cleaning Van's dried blood off of him. Van shivered from her touch and the cool cloth. It wasn't going too badly till they got to some deep wounds and Van flinched from pain and even cried out once. *Oh Van...* thought Hitomi wishing she could ease his pain.

~@~@~@~@~

Sarah awoke an Hour after Hitomi and eventually found Van's room as well. "Hitomi, You're up!" Sarah looked at Hitomi seeing her eyes still showing hurt.

"Sarah...What are we going to do?" Said Hitomi motioning to Van with worry apparent, in Her now timid voice.

"Hitomi...I have an Idea..." Said Sarah as a thoughtful look crossed her face.

"What?"

"Well...I told you long ago that I can heal...I could try it on Van and He might even be standing by tonight."

"Really?" Said Hitomi, her emerald eyes now shining.

"Well...Who knows...We have a few hours before it's night...But you will have to leave so I can work...How about you go rest?" Said Sarah, with small bags still under her eyes.

"Okay...." *Bye Van...*

Sarah closed the door behind Hitomi and focused her energy. Her hands glowed blue and she pressed them to Van's wounds as they began to close. (I posted this in the first Chapter. If you are being a good reader, you will note that Sarah has mystic healing as well as she is Half draconian...but more on that later.)

Van winced and trembled as he felt the force press into him...Then he began to relax as the burning pain melted away. He fell into (mostly) painless rest.

Sarah smiled and then began to feel pain herself. * The side effect...* She reminded herself and then tended to Van's healing.

~@~@~@~@~

Hitomi had rested for a good long time and was called to dinner by Eric's wife. "Here you go dear!" Said a beautiful lady with chestnut hair that was tied-up in a bun. Hitomi ate her food hungrily and then realized it was getting dark...she had been resting longer than she thought...

"You've been cooped up in here all day...I insist that you take a walk...it'll do you good and there aren't any dragons around here."

At any other time Hitomi would have refused, but right now a walk seemed lovely after sitting in bed all day. *I'll be back soon and I'll check on Van...* "Alright." Hitomi said and then she grabbed her coat and headed out into the dying day.

~@~@~@~@~

Van woke up with an extremely tired Sarah by his side who was nearly asleep after working on curing him all day. "Sarah! Where...am I? And is she really...here?" He said with a wide-eyed expression.

(Sings "And she left me wide eye in disbelief and dis..... Sorry...blushes. ^ ^) "Van, you're awake! Yes Van...Hitomi is here...she went for a walk." Van smiled, got up (With some help from Sarah) then walked out the door to see a long lost friend.

Meanwhile, Hitomi had found a place to watch the stars by a large rock that she had her back to. (Oh.... Rockzilla! I am writing this on far too much sugar...bare with me.)

Van crept up behind her and climbed up the rock silently without being noticed.

As Hitomi looked at the stars she couldn't help but say "The stars here are so much like the ones on the mystic moon...So beautiful..." But as Hitomi said "Beautiful" a voice from behind her said "Beautiful" too, she turned and behind her was the raven-haired boy. "Van...You're standing!"

Van smiled and jumped down from the rock, sitting himself beside her. "Yeah...I'm okay."

Now it was Hitomi's turn to smile, *It's been so long since I have seen Van, and yet, nothing really changed...He's still looks a lot like he did when I left...He's still that Van that I...love. * Hitomi turn bright red at this thought. (Btw, the character's looks haven't changed much...Van is a little taller and so is Hitomi...but they haven't changed that much in looks...I always thought Van looked just fine the way he was...but there is one character that changed...She is coming up all TOO soon!)

Hitomi looked at the stars in the heavens as Van watched the ones in her eyes. (I love poetic stuff.) "How are you...I mean besides...everything that just happened?" Said Hitomi shifting her eyes to Van.

Van stared at the green glowing orbs that were her eyes and couldn't seem to find much to say, so he said simply "I'm fine..." And let his sentence trail off.

Hitomi realized that something important was on his mind. *I can tell there is something bothering him, I wonder what it is. *

"Hitomi?" Van said suddenly, not looking her in the eye.

"Yes Van?" Said Hitomi, curiosity growing.

"I...I...Missed...you..." And he turned to Hitomi. His ruby eyes locked to her emeralds, his intense stare not leaving her. He came closer watching her lips.

*Van...?!* Hitomi could see him coming close to her. *What's he going to do?...He's going to...?!* Hitomi instinctively moved away, but her back was to the rock and she couldn't move. But then thought *Do...I...want to move?...I don't know what to do...* Hitomi just sat there and waited.

*Come on Van! * He told himself, angry about how long it was taking him. *Just a little closer...* Van slowly moved in more.

Hitomi had closed her eyes and was still waiting, when she heard a voice.

"Van-sama!" Came a voice from the forest.

*No! * Van yelled to himself. *You are dreaming...There is no voice! There can't be! Not now.... Just keep going...*

"Van-sama!" Came the voice again.

*Just a little closer...*

"VAN-SAMA!" said the now earth shattering voice and with it, came a flying pink object out of the forest. The Figure clung to Van and knocked him over.

Hitomi stared, shocked at the new figure...*I could swear that thing looks familiar. * She thought to herself, forgetting about Van at that moment.

The new figure looked a good deal like Naria and Eriya (at the last part when you see them with Folken at episode 26...ya know.all happy and young.) and yet...there was something familiar about this person. she had pink hair a yellow dress and a pink pendant. (a guess anybody? I'll give you one guess!)

"Hello merle..." Said Van...a little more than upset.

"Merle!" Said Hitomi astounded at her cat friend's appearance.

"Hitomi! It's true you are back!" Merle hugged Hitomi and then saw the surprised look on her face. "What's the matter Hitomi?" Merle laughed and then added, with a bit of joking hurtness in her voice "Don't you remember me?"

Hitomi looked at her old friend and said, "You've changed a lot..."

Merle laughed again and said "Yes I have and you haven't changed a bit!"

Van was now a little disturbed...He was happy to see merle was okay...But... "Merle...umm.I was kind of hoping to have some time alone...if you understand?"

"Oh...of course! No problem! Come on Hitomi.... Let's not bother Lord Van." And merle grabbed Hitomi and pulled her back to the cabin.

"Wait Merle! That's not what I...Meant...Ugh." He tried to shout after them...But was too late...Merle had gotten Hitomi all the way back to the cottage by then. *Arg...* Van thought mentally kicking himself. *So close...Yet so far...* And with that Van headed back himself.

_____________________________________________________________________

Okay.... Don't kill me please...I know...Blame Merle...(Well...Okay...no...) Anyway, for those how like romance (or I believe here they call it fluff?) You have a little here...and I am in no way finished with these Characters...I have to be realistic though...(Like how merle always comes in at the wrong time...or Van can never get those three words out "I love you."...I mean...even a purple dinosaur can say it...*ahem *...Please Review...the faster you review...the faster I'll go in writing...But please note I do have a lot of work to do so...Please be nice...I am working at it.... And I honestly will work harder if you review...so on your way out please be a responsible reader ^_~!

Sarah: I want more of me!

Me: WELL GIMME A MINUTE I AM STILL WRITING!

Sarah: *Falls backwards and sweatdrops *.... Umm...She has been a little stressed....

Hitomi: Don't worry...I see happiness in your future.... WOW! I can't believe it...I actually don't see blood, death, and destruction!

Van: *Drools over Lady winged Knight* (I can dream, Can't I?) What?

Hitomi: *Slaps Van*

Van: Oww! What was that for?

Hitomi: Grr...Figure it out!

Me...Help me...Somebody.... Well.... While Van ponders that...I'll ponder the next chapter.... Bye!

(Yes...I am crazy...thanx 4 asking...).